Electrode Plate Cooling to Prevent Binder Crystallization Brittleness
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Solution Overview
Problem
Secondary battery electrode plates become brittle due to binder material crystallization when temperature changes during manufacturing processes, leading to increased risk of fracture and reduced battery performance and safety.
Innovation Solution
A secondary battery manufacturing apparatus and method that includes a cooling unit to rapidly cool coated electrode plates, reducing the degree of binder material crystallization and improving electrode plate flexibility.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If the electrode plate is cooled slowly during the drying or heated rolling process, then the binder material crystallizes completely, but the electrode plate becomes brittle and less flexible
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary cooling action immediately after the coating process, before the binder material has a chance to crystallize completely. By introducing a cooling unit that rapidly reduces the temperature of the coated electrode plate in advance, the crystallization process is interrupted, thereby maintaining flexibility while preventing complete crystallization.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the temperature parameter rapidly by introducing a cooling unit that reduces the temperature of the coated electrode plate from the high coating temperature to a lower temperature quickly. This parameter change prevents the binder material from undergoing complete crystallization, thereby maintaining flexibility and reducing brittleness.
2Strength
If the electrode plate is cooled rapidly to prevent crystallization, then flexibility is improved, but the cooling process complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a cooling unit as an intermediary component between the coating unit and the drying/rolling processes. This intermediary device facilitates rapid cooling without requiring complex integration into the existing manufacturing line, thereby improving flexibility while adding minimal system complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The cooling unit is applied locally to the coated electrode plate immediately after coating, rather than cooling the entire manufacturing system. This localized approach improves flexibility where needed while minimizing the overall complexity of the cooling system.
3Ease of manufacture
If the electrode plate is heated for drying or rolling, then the coating process is completed, but the binder material crystallizes causing brittleness
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary cooling action immediately after the coating unit completes its function, before the electrode plate enters the drying or rolling processes that would cause crystallization. This timing ensures the coating process is completed while preventing the subsequent brittleness-inducing crystallization.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of allowing the natural heating and crystallization process to occur after coating, the patent inverts the approach by applying cooling immediately after coating. This reversal prevents crystallization while still allowing the coating process to complete successfully.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The rapid cooling process reduces the brittleness of electrode plates, enhancing their flexibility and reducing the likelihood of fractures during assembly, thereby improving battery performance and safety.
Implementation Method 1
a cooler configured to cool the coated electrode plate to improve brittleness of the electrode plate
Implementation Method 2
a binder material included in the coated mixture is crystallized, causing the electrode plate to become hard (e.g., brittle) and less flexible
Data Source
AI summary
A secondary battery manufacturing apparatus includes: a coating unit configured to coat a mixture on a substrate of an electrode plate of an electrode assembly of a secondary battery and to discharge the coated electrode plate; and a cooler configured to cooling the coated electrode plate to improve brittleness of the electrode plate.